What price ASL? How many $ to start? How much have you spent?

stuh42asl

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
957
Reaction score
633
Location
ontario
Country
llCanada
I have a huge bookshelf of modules, and counters, and maps....plus a huge rubbermaid tub full to the brim. So I think I have spent the equivalent of a small countries GDP.......I have a complete set of modules(all of the the MMP versions) still in wrap, a nd a ton of Critical Hit stuff
 

kempenfelter

Motivational Speaker
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
725
Reaction score
168
Location
Shanty Bay Road
Country
llCanada
On ebay the 80s Rulebook and Beyond Valor for $99.99 is for sale and it ships free to the US. That's a deal. The counter storage system seems rudimentary but would be enough to get started. Wait a minute, you'd need Boards 1 and 8 to play all the scenarios.
 

Nuts

Recruit
Joined
Jan 6, 2017
Messages
4
Reaction score
5
Country
llNetherlands
"...quite pissed off about a letter that appeared in The General, Vol. 19 No. 5. The writer of the letter was berating AH for ripping off the poor dumb players who had already sunk $50.00 into the SL system, practically accusing AH of fraud."

Here it is, from 1983:
Dear Sirs:
I recently purchased a copy of G.I.: ANVIL OF VICTORY. After examining it, I returned it to the place of purchase for a refund. In my opinion, the "gamette" isn't worth anything near its price of $30.00.
To quote from the Introduction: "It [GI] is the embodiment of a constantly evolving game system." AH may be able to fool the novice gamer or the poor guy who has already sunk $50.00 into SQUAD LEADER and its gamettes; but to me the constant revisions are a sign of incompetence in your design staff and fraud on the part of your marketing strategy. The real problem is that a big corporation like AH is more interested in absorb- ing its competitors (like SPI and OSG) than in producing good games.
Aside from the major technical flaw of using a bell curve (two six-sided dice) instead of a straight curve, this "constantly evolving" rules system is a rip·off of the first magnitude. I wonder how much money AH will charge for its "Advanced SQUAD LEADER Rulebook"? To make amends, AH should give a free SL rulebook to anyone who has purchased any of your SL games or gamettes.
In conclusion, I play SL (my own rewrite) and so do many of my friends. I will recommend that they do not buy GI or any other AH product until you get your design scene together and show more honesty in your product marketing.
Fred Oerther Clackamas, Oregon
 

von Marwitz

Forum Guru
Joined
Nov 25, 2010
Messages
14,358
Reaction score
10,209
Location
Kraut Corner
Country
llUkraine
In conclusion, I play SL (my own rewrite) and so do many of my friends. I will recommend that they do not buy GI or any other AH product until you get your design scene together and show more honesty in your product marketing.
Fred Oerther Clackamas, Oregon
Hm, is that maybe the grandfather of Rock Sgt. Dan on the mother's side?

von Marwitz
 

Old Noob

Forum Guru
Joined
Jan 10, 2020
Messages
2,177
Reaction score
2,330
Country
llUnited States
I remember that letter, back in the day. I also remember writing a response that got printed in the next Avalon Hill General,
defending the Avalon Hill Game Company. I still stand by that response all these years later.
 

Actionjick

Forum Guru
Joined
Apr 23, 2020
Messages
7,468
Reaction score
4,995
Location
Kent, Ohio
First name
Darryl
Country
llUnited States
I remember that letter, back in the day. I also remember writing a response that got printed in the next Avalon Hill General,
defending the Avalon Hill Game Company. I still stand by that response all these years later.
Good job!! Probably read your letter but that was way bitd. Glad you sent it.
 

Actionjick

Forum Guru
Joined
Apr 23, 2020
Messages
7,468
Reaction score
4,995
Location
Kent, Ohio
First name
Darryl
Country
llUnited States
I remember that letter, back in the day. I also remember writing a response that got printed in the next Avalon Hill General,
defending the Avalon Hill Game Company. I still stand by that response all these years later.
Fred's letter still irritates me decades later. I was part of Mac's playtest group so I had a biased opinion but I got way more than $30 worth of enjoyment from G.I.
 

sswann

Elder Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2003
Messages
2,911
Reaction score
1,379
Location
Middle of Kansas
First name
Steven
Country
llUnited States
I do not have an actual amount figured, but I know this.
For the cost of 33 years of ASL. my wife and I could take a month's vacation in France to see my friend Xavier.
And it was worth every penny for the entertainment and for the friends acquired.
 

Actionjick

Forum Guru
Joined
Apr 23, 2020
Messages
7,468
Reaction score
4,995
Location
Kent, Ohio
First name
Darryl
Country
llUnited States
I remember that letter, back in the day. I also remember writing a response that got printed in the next Avalon Hill General,
defending the Avalon Hill Game Company. I still stand by that response all these years later.
I can access the issue your response is in online but the print is so small I can't read it and OMOOT can't figure out how to enlarge it!?!??

If you or some good person could print it here I would be grateful as I am very interested in your response. Thanks!
 

RandyT0001

Elder Member
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Joined
Dec 5, 2016
Messages
1,055
Reaction score
1,272
Location
Memphis, TN
First name
Cary
Country
llUnited States
I can access the issue your response is in online but the print is so small I can't read it and OMOOT can't figure out how to enlarge it!?!??

If you or some good person could print it here I would be grateful as I am very interested in your response. Thanks!
What volume and number is the response in? Did you check View from the Trenches website, left menu "AH Magazines"?
 

Actionjick

Forum Guru
Joined
Apr 23, 2020
Messages
7,468
Reaction score
4,995
Location
Kent, Ohio
First name
Darryl
Country
llUnited States
What volume and number is the response in? Did you check View from the Trenches website, left menu "AH Magazines"?
Should be Vol. 19. No. 6.
No I didn't check there. Just did the Google for Vol. 19, No. 5. Can't remember where it took me but had an extensive collection of The General. I just couldn't enlarge the print.

Thanks for the tip about VFTT. This old fart often needs help with all these newfangled doohickey things. ???

My millennial friend finds my techno ignorance quite charming. ?
 

JoeArthur

Elder Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Messages
1,108
Reaction score
1,067
Location
Broadstairs
Country
llUnited Kingdom
For the cost of 33 years of ASL. my wife and I could take a month's vacation in France to see my friend Xavier.
At the risk of being a smart arse - he's not in France :) And I think that might be a deliberate choice...............
 

JoeArthur

Elder Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Messages
1,108
Reaction score
1,067
Location
Broadstairs
Country
llUnited Kingdom
View attachment 15050

You didn't really say 'ASL', did you?

von Marwitz
Reminds me of the sufi saying (please feel free to Google that and see if it is correct :)):

If you wish to dive for pearls, be prepared to get wet.
If you wish to marry a beautiful women, be prepared for expense.

Which for the current thread might be adapted to:

If you wish to dive for pearls, be prepared to get wet.
If you wish to play ASL, be prepared for expense.
 

Actionjick

Forum Guru
Joined
Apr 23, 2020
Messages
7,468
Reaction score
4,995
Location
Kent, Ohio
First name
Darryl
Country
llUnited States
Reminds me of the sufi saying (please feel free to Google that and see if it is correct :)):

If you wish to dive for pearls, be prepared to get wet.
If you wish to marry a beautiful women, be prepared for expense.

Which for the current thread might be adapted to:

If you wish to dive for pearls, be prepared to get wet.
If you wish to play ASL, be prepared for expense.
If you want to be happy
For the rest of your life
Never make a pretty woman your wife.
So from my personal point of view
Get an ugly girl to marry you....

Not sure how it applies to ASL but always liked the song.
 
Top